6 A monster bride

Chapter 6 A monster bride "Create another creature like you?" cried Victor, appalled. "Never! Together, you might destroy the world." "You are wrong," replied the monster. "I was good, until misery made me bad. Everyone hates me. Why shouldn't I hate them in return? I am so lonely- but you can help me. Refuse, and I will be revenged. I will make you curse the hour of your birth..." For a moment, rage contorted his features, making him uglier than ever, but he calmed himself and went on.

“创造另一个像你这样的生物？”维克托惊恐地叫道。 “从来没有!你们一起可能会毁灭世界。” “你错了，”怪物回答说。 “我本来很好，直到苦难让我变坏。 每个人都讨厌我。我为什么不恨他们呢？ 我很孤独——但你可以帮助我。 拒绝，我会报仇的。 我要让你诅咒你出生的时刻……” 一时之间，愤怒扭曲了他的脸，使他比以前更丑了，但他使自己平静下来，继续说下去。

"Do not deny me this one kindness. Help me be happy, and I will again be good. I will take my bride to live peacefully, far away from people. You will never see us again." Victor couldn't help feeling sorry for the monster, although the sight of it sickened him. And then there were the threats- the creature was more powerful than any man. It would be safer to do what it asked. Victor swallowed hard. "I- I agree," he said slowly.

“请不要拒绝我这一次好意。 帮助我快乐，我就会再次善良。 我要带着我的新娘平静地生活，远离人群。 你再也见不到我们了。” 维克多忍不住为这只怪物感到难过，尽管他看到它感到恶心。 然后就是威胁——这种生物比任何人都强大。 按照它的要求去做会更安全。 维克多使劲咽了口气。“我——我同意。”他慢慢地说。

Victor returned home, brooding harder than ever. Elizabeth couldn't bear it. "Why are you so unhappy?" she asked gently. "Is it because you don't love me any more?" "No, of course not," cried Victor. "I could never love anyone as much as you. All my hopes for the future rest in you. Elizabeth," he added impulsively, "will you marry me?" "Oh yes," cried Elizabeth, flinging her arms around him. But even as Victor kissed her, he was thinking of the monster's demand... "I must start work," he told himself. "But not here! I don't want anyone to know." Victor's father was delighted when he heard the happy news. "I always hoped you two would marry," he said, smiling. "When shall we hold the wedding?" "Not for a few months," Victor replied firmly. "I have a project I must finish first."

维克多回到家里，比以前更加沉思了。 伊丽莎白受不了了。 “你为什么这么不开心？”她温柔地问。 “是因为你不再爱我了吗？”“不，当然不是。”维克多叫道。 “我永远不会像爱你那样爱任何人。 我对未来的希望都寄托在你身上。 伊丽莎白，”他一时冲动又说，“你愿意嫁给我吗？”“噢，是的，”伊丽莎白嚷道，一面伸出双臂搂住他。 但就在维克多亲吻她的时候，他还在想着怪物的要求…… “我必须开始工作了，”他对自己说。 “但不是在这里！”我不想让任何人知道。” 维克多的父亲听到这个好消息很高兴。 “我一直希望你们俩能结婚，”他微笑着说。 “我们什么时候举行婚礼？”“几个月之内不会。”维克多坚定地回答。 “我有个项目必须先完成。”

"I need to make a research trip to- to Scotland," he improvised, trying to think of somewhere quiet and remote. "A trip will do you good," said Elizabeth. "But I think you should take Henry for company." And so it was agreed.

“我需要去苏格兰做一次研究旅行，”他即兴发挥，试图想出一个安静而偏远的地方。 “去旅行对你有好处，”伊丽莎白说。 “但我认为你应该带亨利作伴。” 于是大家同意了。

Victor packed his books and instruments with a heavy heart. A few days later, he and Henry set out. There had been no further sign of the monster, but Victor was sure it would follow them. The journey took several weeks. Victor was torn between wishing it would take longer, and fearing the monster would think he had given up and begin its revenge. Along the way, Henry pointed out the sights with delight- rugged hills, ruined castles and spectacular sunsets.... But Victor could only think gloomily of the task ahead. Finally, they arrived in Edinburgh and Victor began collecting supplies. When everything was ready, he told Henry he wanted to travel on alone. "I need to be by myself for a bit," he insisted Reluctantly, Henry agreed. "Write to me at once if you need anything," he said.

维克多带着沉重的心情收拾好他的书和乐器。 几天后，他和亨利出发了。 怪物再也没有出现的迹象，但维克多确信它会跟着他们。 这次旅行花了几个星期。 维克多既希望能多花些时间，又担心怪物会认为他已经放弃了，开始报复。 一路上，亨利兴致勃勃地指给我看沿途的风景——崎岖的山丘、破败的城堡和壮观的日落.... 但维克多只能沮丧地想着眼前的任务。 最后，他们到达爱丁堡，维克多开始收集物资。 当一切准备就绪时，他告诉亨利他想独自旅行。 “我需要一个人静一静。”他坚持说。 “如果你需要什么，马上给我写信，”他说。

Free at last, Victor took a boat to a remote, rocky island and rented an old hut. Then he set to work, mixing chemicals, connecting batteries, beginning his grisly task of shaping flesh and bone...

终于自由了，维克多乘船到一个偏僻的岩石岛，租了一间旧小屋。 然后他开始工作，混合化学物质，连接电池，开始他的可怕的任务，塑造肉和骨头……